When one thinks of Italy, premium cigar tobacco is usually not the first thought. But for CAO, so accustomed to pushing the boundaries of flavor, this is where they discovered some very unique tobaccos. This particular tobacco is grown in the Benevento region of Italy and offers an enjoyable sweetness backed ever so slightly by a toasted earthiness. When combined with a lusciously dark Habano-seed wrapper leaf grown in Honduras and a select blend of fine filler tobaccos from Nicaragua and Peru, the result of this intricate 4-country blend is an incredibly rich, robust, and complex cigar.

Adding to CAO's already sterling reputation, the Italia received a '91' rating and has been named one of the Best Cigars of the Year by Cigar Aficionado!​

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The first time I had a CAO Italia it was very delicious and sweet, I was sold on them, so I reordered this 5 pack. However when I tried them I could barely get any smoke, when i drew forcefully the taste was bitter and not enjoyable, All five cigars were bad. I hope I don't have the same experience next CAO Italia order I make.

This is and has been my all-time favorite cigar. I am not a connoisseur by any stretch of the imagination, but of what I have tried, this one tops my list. It is really well balanced and has the perfect nutty taste. I highly recommend it.

When I first started smoking cigars I wasn't sure what to pick. I walked into our local shop and picked up an Italia and loved it. 8 years later it is my go to smoke. Love the flavor profile. They never let me down! I always carry at least 20 in my humi!

I purchased a few of these in town. I decided to purchase more from CI, but was disappointed in the cigars I purchased from CI. They did not have the flavor as the ones I purchased in town. The ones I purchased in town had a noticeable salty, flavor from the wrapper before lighting. The ones from CI did not have the wow factor to me, tasted bland, I don't know if I needed to let them set in my humi longer or what.....

I was greatly disappointed in the quality of the Italia Gondola's I recently purchased. I've had them on numerous other occasions and always found them to be a very good smoke. This box was different. The flavor was bitter and never smoothed out. The burn was not very even either. I ended up sending back 16 cigars from the box for a refund. I've always liked CAO and ordered the America to replace the returns. Overall a bad experience on this purchase.

After reading all the glowing reviews for this cigar, everyone will probably hate me, but I just wasn't impressed with the CAO Italia. It could be my palate, but it seemed to have no taste compared to the other CAO I've smoked. On the plus side, it lives up to the quality of construction I've come to expect from a CAO. The burn and draw were slightly inconsistent, but otherwise good ash, and lots of thick smoke. Since I haven't read anything bad about it, I'm going to give this guy another go around this summer. It may have been just that cigar, so the second time could be a charm.

PR of DeWitt, NY

Love the taste.

JP of Los Angeles, CA

Arguably one of CAO's best cigars in my opinion. I even liked it better than the Brazilian, and I like full body, dark wrapper smokes.

BS of Moore, SC

Italian tobacco? Yes, and it's great. This is one of my favorites from CAO. Tasty, spicy, with incredibly aromatic smoke. I love that they offer the cigarillo (piccolo) size, but I wish it was in stock more often. The perfect quick smoke.

JE of Lincoln, VA

Do you know what happens to a cigar when it's left in the humidor for more than 45 days? MAGIC! I have smoked the Italia before and they all have been great. This one went unnoticed till now. Such a smooth draw no bite, great burn in fact the only draw back will be it has to end. I will have to order more now and put half of them to sleep for awhile, do yourself a favor and get some of these beauties you won't be disappointed.

DO of DAVENPORT, IA

To me the Italia seemed very medium-bodied. Very fine creamy, spicy taste but not overpowering. As all CAO cigars the construction and burn was flawless. I have not had a CAO I haven't thoroughly enjoyed and this ranks right up with the best. I second the no tongue shave needed comment. While tasty it doesn't leave that thick film inside mouth and on my tongue I get with some cigars. A winner.

MS of Surprise, AZ

I got several of these CAO Italias in a sampler pack and they were a pleasant surprise. I probably wouldn't have tried them otherwise, but I absolutely love them. Don't hesitate to give them a try.

DC of Sharpsburg, GA

Good smoke.

GC of Germantown, MD

Bought a 5 pack of the piccolos (cigarillos). I'm about done with my 3rd one now and I just had to come say, I like this smoke.

RB of Yorktown, VA

I've now smoked the 2nd Italia that came in my CAO sampler and I really adore this stick! Snowy white ash that really hangs on, great ring gauge and length, and just a true pleasure to smoke. Very complex with all of the different tobaccos, and leaves a slightly sweet dark chocolate finish on the palate. Everyone raves about the Brazilia being the fav of the bunch, but, while I do like that one, the Italia for me has it beat hands down! Ordering more of these now!

CD of Memphis, TN

Smooth tasting cigar that packs a punch!

EW of Virginia Beach, VA

This was my first time with this cigar and i will keep it simple "Awsome" thanks CI and CAO...and as always my aficionados "Keep a happy face and smoke with pride".

JH of McAllen, TX

....Wow was I Impressed with the package these 5 cigars came in beautiful cigar box lined with silk like material and the cigars in metal tubes.
Smoked one , it must need to age tasted alot of ammonia favor. When the first third was gone I got a great coffee favor for about 5 draws and then it was gone and back to sour ammonia. The other four will be in the humidor aging for a few months

DM of Blue Springs, MO

This cigar is my favorite affordable smoke of the CAO lineup. I won't bore you with silly adjectives of nuts, leather, pepper, etc. it's a nice medium-full that smokes well right down to the nub. Smooth, yet flavorful. A cannot go wrong smoke from brand that hardly makes a dud.

RW of SOUTH BEND, IN

Just bought a box from my pals here at CI. I like box pressed cigars. These are well made. A lot of other inferior box pressed cigars are not comparable. You gotta know what your doing and CAO does.

IS of San Francisco, CA

Call me crazy "crazy" but this cigar was the worst in the cao lineup...and this is 1 of my top 3 brands (Oliva and Punch)..burnt taste.no notes to speak of...it burnt well but that's about it..I'll trade my leftovers for a concert or lx2

JD of NOKOMIS, FL

I'm Not a huge fan of "Full" Cigars. BUT THIS WAS a LOVELY smoke. My wife and daughter both commented on the nice aroma also. It burned brilliant and quite long. I bought a sampler pack so will have to go down the rest of the CAO brands to see what I like.

SM of FPO, AP

Quite a bit more assertive than the gold series, but still very smooth. As always, a quality offering from CAO with leathery and almost herbal-like notes which played nicely with some strong coffee on a Sunday morning.

PO of Fairmont, WV

Though i wouldn't call this a full cigar (it's more of a medium-full) it was very flavor full and deserves the rating of 91. I was a little unhappy with the first 1/4" of the cigar seeing that it was bland and uneventful. The being said, the rest of the cigar was fantastic!! I smoked it till it burned my fingers. It was a full of earthy heavy flavor with thick smoke. I would buy a box again any day!

JA of Poquoson, VA

Loved it! Got two of these as part of a CAO sampler. Everything was right about this cigar, the look, the smell, the feel. Great taste and thick clouds of gray smoke. I don't know how cigars are rated, but this one deserves every one of the 91 points it received. A friend tells me he likes the Brazilia more. I can't imagine how it can be better, but we shall see. I'll definitely be ordering more of these.

DM of Washington, DC

Great bold cigar. Buy this here because I recently picked one up in a smoke shop for a whopping $13!!!! Whew! This is a tasty smacker! I wish CI would list which were box pressed in the description, I am unsure which is but I remember some are.... This is my favorite from the CAO line.

JL of Middle Village, NY

For me the description of earthy, toastiness with a slight sweetness hits it on the head. A favorite with a subtle bite especially toward the nub. A real finger burner. Always consistent, great smoke!

JL of Mckinleyville, CA

Pasta, wine, Super Mario, and now CAO comes to mind when thinking of Italy. This is the second CAO I've smoked, and again, I find myself burning my fingertips to get every last puff from the thing - what if there's yet another flavor I'm about to miss out on?! It burns perfectly, draws smoothly, and makes a glass of Maker's Mark feel as milk must feel around an Oreo.

MB of Milford, MA

Had the Italia Ciao while listening to a cigar video blog from Jerry and Walt, it has a large ring gauge but it did not give off too much smoke or intensity. The cigar is very enjoyable. This is about the 8th Italia I've enjoyed over the last few years, and I always look forward to my next opportunity to experience the thick spicy smoke. It does have a hint of woodiness as the cigar progresses to half way. I would classify the flavor as full and noticeable, spiciness with a background of oak. A cigar to sit back and enjoy. As to strength, it seems to be in the medium-full range.

JH of Apopka, FL

Nothing touches this cigar. Can't get much done while smoking one of these, because it steals my full attention every time, no matter what I'm doing. It's the only cigar out of hundreds I've sampled where I actually appreciate the lingering aftertaste, and it lasts for a good day and a half. So spicy, so full of flavor. Thank you CAO!

JH of Oakdale, MN

Being a fan of the CAO brand, I decided to try the Italia in Piccolo size. Fantastic smoke. It is a very spicy cigar, but the burn is good. The only two downsides were that towards the end, it gets a lot stronger and spicier; and the pack I bought had one plugged cigar. Seeing as that last one was probably a fluke, I highly recommend this one. 9/10

CN of Waxhaw, NC

A really, really good strong smoke. Even though it is strong it is balanced. Be careful touching up the wrapper though. It is so full of oil that it will burst into flames if you are not careful, sort of like "pitch pine." Man this is a great cigar!

CS of Rock Springs, WY

This is one of those cigars with the "it"factor,(CAO Italia-Ciao size),like Camacho P.E.,Gurkha Centurian,etc.Finally got around to trying this blend and I wish I tried them much earlier!The draw is perfect with razor straight burn line and there's too many flavors to describe but there's a buttery,layered,toastines that's present the whole time that mingles with the other super premium flavors.The aroma-WOW-every time I puffed I had to just smile and close my eyes.Should I get a bigger humidor or "give out" a bunch of "least favorites"?Hmmmmm........Got to make room for a box or two of these.Well done CAO Italia viva CI Nation!

RK of College Park, MD

I have never been much of a CAO fan, other than the Brazilia, I didn't care for the rest of the line. A friend informed me that if I liked the Brazilia, I should try the Italia. After some research on the CI fan mail, I ordered a sampler pack just to checkout what all the hoopla was about. Glad I did. I lit one up right out of the package and The Italia was packed nicely and burned smooth and even. The flavor was awesome throughout the smoke and never ended even down to the nub. They are a bit pricy buta s soon as I can, I am ordering more.

RC of Laredo, TX

"Molto Bono"!!!This is an outstanding smoke...The only drawback is that it ended,I smoked it to a nub...So I'm sure to stock my humi w/them!!

JB of Hagerstown, MD

This cigar started off a little slow for me,the draw was tight, but once it opened open a got a good burn going it boomed with almost a dark choacolate and woody flavor. Good Cigar

MD of New Orleans, LA

Little brother sent me cigar club for christmas. This month one of the cigars was a (CAO Italia Ciao). Awesome cigar. If you're a real cigar smoker you'll love this cigar. I went to order 5-pack and it was already backordered, so I was not the only guy who enjoyed it. CI nation needs a real deal on these Cigars.

AB of pensacola, FL

The (CAO Italia) Box Pressed is my favorite cigar by CAO AND one of my favorite cigars overall. I've always had draw issues with the other sizes, but the box pressed usually does not disappoint. It has such a unique flavor. I want one right now!

DB of Knoxville, TN

My second favorite current smoke behind (Brazilia) is the (CAO Italia)! Excellent taste, just a very satisfing smoke.

CC of Sharps Chapel, TN

this was an exceptional cigar (CAO Italia), lets be honest though, has cao ever made a bad cigar, but this was totaly different from what im used to from cao. The overall flavor was bold and the fullest of body. Earthy to the max,loads of espresso flavor and woody truffel flavor [the kind the pigs dig up, not the chocolate ones.]even burn well made and an absolute delight, this is an underrated cigar, i would smoke this over the brazillia any day, though thats a good cigar too .this is my favorite so far.

JS of hamilton, OH

Great smoke. (CAO Italia) If you are a mild-medium smoker and are looking to try a stronger yet smooth cigar, give this one a shot.

PM of Savannah , GA

I just had the CAO Italia as my first new year cigar. This cigar deserved a higher than 91 rating. Amazing flavor...hints of sweetness and coffee notes but not too overpowering. Try a sweet beverage like cola to compliment this great cigar!

JO of rootstown, OH

As i happily smoke my way through the CAO sampler, next, CAO Italia, sweet, varying degrees of peppery spice, creamy....excellent burn and draw. I rate it a solid after dinner smoke at 88. ENJOY.

VB of San Francisco, CA

I bought the CAO Italia on special and couldn't wait to light one up. All I can say is wow! This cigar packs a whollop from the first puff to the last. Starts very spicy and full-bodied but mellows nicely. I smoked one right out of the package so the finish was a little leafy. While it needs a little time in the humidor, I can wait, because it will be well worth it when I have my next one. Highly recommended! Great price, delivered within a few days. Thanks CI!

AS of Chicago, IL

OK, I'm new to cigars, as soon as i got these home i had to try one (CAO Italia). This is also my first review and may seem overly descriptive but here goes. After removing the cellophane i noticed they were probably a little moist and needed some time in the humi, but i had to indulge. This cigar is probably my first decent cigar... Something to take off my training wheels. The pre-light aroma was unpleasant, like wet hay or maybe manure, this could have been due to the heavy moisture in them. However the draw after clipping had a pleasant taste, slightly nutty, leathery and earthy. After lighting i couldn't have been happier. The smoke was pleasantly strong with hints of chocolate, wood, and something i can't quite get my head around. I found myself half way through it chewing on the wrapper just enjoying the raw taste alone. The wet hay smell seemed to have disappeared leaving an intoxicating aroma. All in all i found this a great first "good" cigar and look forward to smoking another one after it has some time to adjust. If other "noob" smokers are reading this believe me, these will get you hooked if you already aren't.

RM of Juneau, AK

this cigar (cao italia) is truly a work of art. full bodied and smooth, a rich taste of chocolately goodness mixes well with a robust earthiness. great cigar, no doubt. solid 92. all i can say is "vive italia!"

MC of Azusa, CA

All I can say is WOW, CAO (Italia) is one of the most robust and has such a wide array of spice to it. It is full of character and enjoyable the entire way. Sit down, shut up, and plan to take some time to truly enjoy the earthiness of this cigar. One of the best, my closet humi has close to 80 of them in there now, and the more you keep em' the BETTER they get!!!

DA of Manchester, NJ

Very nice cigar with an excellent draw, nice firm ash, very even burn and 'earthy' flavour. (CAO Italia)I smoked a couple of the Gondola torpedos and enjoyed them very much. Worth the price.

MC of MLeesburg, VA

This cigar (CAO Italia) really hits you in the face as soon as you light it up. I've read reviews of these cigars where they have been classified as "medium-full" but I think that's way off. This is one of the fullest-flavored cigars I've ever had. I think people often hesitate to label anything that isn't super-spicy as full bodied, which is very misleading. These things are flavor bombs, but in a toasty/earthy sort of way that I've never experienced in any other cigar.

TD of Harrisonburg, VA

One word: Earthy. CAO got the blend right with this one (CAO Italia). Definitely a different sort of cigar. The cigar is heavy and perfectly rolled, which is only a preview of good things to come. As I torch the foot, the earthiness hits me like a ton of bricks. The image that first went thru my mind was that of being in a triple canopy jungle. The next thought that went thru my head was that this is a darn good cigar.
Just underneath the earthtones lies hints of cinnamon and toffee. A long and lingering finish completes this smoking experience.
Different, but in a great way. Thanks CI!

SO of Barstow, CA

I don't know who wrote that review about the CAO Italias and the World Cup, but you are 100% on the money! Im so happy they won, but more importantly that they beat the French, and even moreso that they beat the French in the way they did! FORZA ITALIA!!! Oh, and CAO Italias ain't a bad smoke ;^) Ciao

MM of Jersey City, NJ

A dang good smoke (CAO Italia). Lit one of these up last night and couldn't have asked for anything better. Nice easy draw, slow burn, and lots of smoke, another great cigar from CAO.

AF of Russellville, AR

Very difficult to describe the unique taste of this cigar (CAO Italia), very rich medium body with a hint of what I can only guess is a pleasant fruit of the vine type flavor and a great deal of thick grey smoke. Truly one of CAO's best and hats off to Carlos Torano as well.
Sit back and enjoy this one because you won't want to get up to do anything else while you are partaking of this wonder-mous smoke. ciao.

DR of Orlando, FL

I've shared this smoke (CAO Italia) with a number of friends - everyone seems just as impressed with it as I am. A nice medium (plus?) strength experience ... just can't think of anything to suggest to make it better. And, just as nice, it doesn't leave one needing to shave the tongue in the morning :-)